


By Imperial License, I Thee Wed

by misura



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-24
Updated: 2010-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-14 01:38:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/143943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ivan is about to do something he is reasonably sure he will regret for the rest of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Imperial License, I Thee Wed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wildestranger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildestranger/gifts).
  * Translation into Русский available: ["Императорским соизволением, сочетаюсь браком..."](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7226227) by [Russian_Fic_Store](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Russian_Fic_Store/pseuds/Russian_Fic_Store)



Weddings had always made Ivan a little nervous, and his own was no exception to the rule.

"If you're thinking about running for the hills, you should probably do it before Gregor gets here," Miles told him cheerfully.

"You could have talked me out of this," Ivan said. "Why didn't you talk me out of this? For that matter: why didn't _Gregor_? Wouldn't have taken much - just a 'no, Ivan, I am not going to let you ruin the rest of your life'? Has everyone gone crazy around here?"

Miles looked like he was actually thinking about the question for a moment. "You're assuming they were all sane to start with."

"Well, crazier than usual, I mean," Ivan amended, willing enough to grant Miles that one.

"My mother considers this event a clear sign of social progress," Miles said.

"How's me requiring an _Imperial license_ to get married 'a clear sign of social progress'?" Ivan demanded, conveniently forgetting that mere seconds ago he'd been complaining about actually _receiving_ said license. Gregor'd always had a bit of an odd sense of humor, as well as a tendency to use people's own words against them, such as Ivan's saying _'can I please get married to Byerly?'_ which had clearly been said in the heat of the moment and Gregor ought not to have considered any kind of official request, let alone an instant of Ivan asking him for a favor.

If Ivan was going to owe Gregor any favors, he prefered it to be for things he'd actually _wanted_.

"Well, what with half the population muttering about Vor privilege, there's apparently some kind of law amendment coming up," Miles said in the tones of someone who knew all and would be happy to tell it, if properly asked.

Ivan resolutely went back to fussing over his clothes.

" _Half_ the population, Lord Vorkosigan? A bit of an exaggeration, surely."

Byerly's clothes looked perfect, of course - he'd given Ivan the address of his tailor, strongly hinting Ivan might pay the man a visit before the wedding. Ivan had decided to be traditional.

"Half is what I'll be telling everyone I meet," Miles informed Byerly. "We've even got some nice charts and numbers to back it up."

"I'm impressed."

Miles grinned. "Not half as impressed as _I_ am at someone finally having found a way to hold on to Ivan long enough for a wedding."

"It's a gift," Byerly said, all fake modesty. "And I am, of course, a lucky man."

"Very lucky," Miles agreed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think Gregor's about to arrive ..."

Ivan glowered at Byerly's reflection in the mirror as Miles made himself scarce. "Isn't it supposed to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding?"

"That sounds positively barbarian. Besides," Byerly added, "when did you decide you were the bride?"

Ivan groaned and gave up on his trousers. "Please tell me we're going to somewhere off-planet for our honeymoon. I don't think I want to be here when Miles and Gregor are going to hold us up as an example of how a marriage between two men can function every bit as well as one between a man and a woman." They'd have to hold up Byerly and Ivan as an example, of course; there wasn't anyone else, and if Miles and Gregor wouldn't drag them into this as an argument in favor, the more conservative Lords were bound to present them as an argument _against_ the amendment.

They might be right, Ivan thought. _He_ wasn't against the amendment, obviously; in theory, Ivan was all in favor of personal freedom to love and get married.

"We're going somewhere off-planet for our honeymoon."

In practice, Ivan kind of felt that the first person to receive that freedom (if by Imperial license, no less) ought to have been someone not him. Someone who hadn't spent most of his life perfecting the art of _not_ making himself the center of attention.

"We are?" It wasn't as if they couldn't afford to, naturally. Still, Ivan'd rather suspected Byerly would want to stick around here for the same reason Ivan wanted to get away.

"A three-month trip," Byerly confirmed.

Ivan breathed in relief. Three months probably wouldn't be enough to escape the political upheaval entirely, but it'd be a start.

"All expenses paid," Byerly added.

Ivan narrowed his eyes and turned around to regard Byerly with suspicion. "By who?"

Byerly had the grace to look slightly apologetic, at least. "ImpSec." Although he was probably just faking it. "Look, it's not a bad deal. Think of it as mixing a bit of business with pleasure."

"Risking my life is _not_ my idea of pleasure," Ivan snapped.

"Well, Gregor thought you'd like it better than sticking around. You can tell him he was wrong, if you want," Byerly suggested with a bright smile.

Ivan sighed, glanced at his reflection in the mirror one last time and straightened his back.

"Let's go and get married."


End file.
